The National Summit on Interdistrict Desegregation, titled “Passing the Torch: The Past, Present, and Future of Interdistrict School Desegregation” brought together key policymakers, researchers, advocates, and practitioners from the nation’s nine major interdistrict desegregation programs (including one in process in Omaha, Nebraska). During the weekend of January 16-18th 2009, practitioners and desegregation advocates shared information to inform future research, outreach, and strategies. This convening represented the first opportunity of its kind, with participants working toward these three overarching goals:
- Getting focused about articulating the continuing need for regional solutions to educational inequality, racial and SES segregation, and the opportunity gap.
- Learning from the experience of educators and students from nine metro areas, with a focus on sustainability and the political, legal, financial, and logistical challenges facing these programs.
- Organizing, networking, strategizing, and planning for the future, while learning from and galvanizing each other to move forward. Here, we began creating an infrastructure to build a more cohesive network that can increase support for interdistrict/regional desegregation programs of various types.
Moving forward, we hope this page will be a resource for the attendees of our Summit, as well as others who are interested in school desegregation efforts. To find out more about this network and our efforts, please contact Gina J. Chirichigno, the Post-PICS Coordinator at the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, at gchirichigno@law.harvard.edu, or by calling 617-495-8285.
Event Documents
Agenda
Speaker Bios
Knowledge Cafe – Powerpoint By Samantha Elliott Briggs
Still Separate, Still Unequal – Powerpoint By Susan Eaton
Are Teachers Prepared For Racially Changing Schools – Powerpoint By Erica Frankenberg
Transportation & Integration – Powerpoint By Erica Frankenberg
It’s Not Just About Black And White – Powerpoint By Patricia Gandara
Using Regional Coalitions – Powerpoint By Jennifer Holme
Socioeconomic And Racial School Integration – Powerpoint By Richard Kahlenberg
Equalizing The Pursuit Of Civic Empowerment – Powerpoint By Meira Levinson
Why Diversity Is A Compelling Interest – Powerpoint By Roslyn Mickelson
The Logics Of Diversity – Powerpoint By Scott Page
Solving The Integration Problem – Powerpoint By John Powell
Anti-Racist Teaching – Powerpoint By Hank Van Putten
Interdistrict Desegregation Plans Overview – Powerpoint By Amy Stuart Wells
Learning Communities – A New Nebraska Solution – Powerpoint By Senator Tom White